Stash that stuff, stat

Declutter, donate or stow in a storage facility, but by all means remove those extras!

Hide the mess, and show off the pretty with a combo of open and closed storage.

Photograph by: David Bagosy
, National Post

Dear Sam,

Do you have any advice on how to make my small living area look nice? I'm a magazine and design TV junkie. I buy loads of furniture and pretty things that I read about in the glossies. I have an entryway/ catchall bench with storage cubbies (I've seen you talk about on TV), two white filing cabinets, a two-drawer chest beside my sofa and two freestanding shelves for books. I don't have that much space in my condo, but I can't seem to make my place look magazine worthy. I feel like my life is a mess, and that the drawers are always overflowing. I've also got a lot of plants. I was thinking of getting a couple of plant stands or a potting station. Thoughts?

Wendy Mercer

Oh dear Wendy,

I know this will sound elementary, but sometimes you just need to clean up the mess and more important, get rid of things.

Initially, I was hesitant to write a column on cleaning, but Martha Stewart's 120-page Special Collector's guide on organization, Organizing: Simple Strategies to Cut the Clutter (on stands until April 30) has inspired me to devote 450 words to homekeeping. Plus, I've seen enough spaces to know that the majority of us suffer from packrat syndrome. Yes, this is my diagnosis - you have the symptoms - your plant collection, for example, is a classic sign.

The first thing you need to do is get rid of all the surface junk such as piles of papers, magazines and bowls of clutter. Catch-alls aren't meant to be perpetually full. Next, go through all of your drawers and cubbies, tackling one compartment at a time. If you try to clear the clutter all at once, you will likely feel overwhelmed and never finish.

Make this William Morris quote your mantra: "Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful." Donate everything else.

There should be an economy of things in your home. If you bring home something new or new-to-you, get rid of something old.

On that note, give away most of your small cabinets and chests. Bitsy storage makes a space feel busy. Replace three of your tiny storage solutions with a larger piece like the server in Tamara Robbins-Griffith's former small-space abode. Her server has sleek proportions, but can hold (or hide) a bundle. It's the ideal spot for dishes, stemware, taxes, a record collection ... Behind the doors of your server can be an absolute mess, and only you will know.

Above the server, hang shelves where you can display those pretty things that you shop for in magazines. Shelves are a great way to take advantage of vertical space in a small room. The secret to keeping your home looking pulled together is to group like things. There's a whole lotta white ceramic ware on Tamara's shelves. Notice the plant on the top shelf? It's a prop, existing only for the photo shoot.

You know where I'm going with this, Wendy: the plants must go too. Plant stands will take up valuable real estate and make your life feel more cluttered and messy.

Regarding the potting stand, are you pulling my leg? You don't have a garden or a green house. Keep one healthy plant, and give the rest away.

Save green thumb endeavours for the summer and keep the plants on the balcony.

I know I'm coming across as a bossy boots. But I have to confess, I have more than my share of designer wares. Do try to purge; it will make the biggest difference to your home, keeping in mind that it takes an army to clean and style the homes on TV and in magazines.

And, if you can't bear to part with your beloved things, rent a storage unit. I've taken entire dressers to storage without emptying or even opening the drawers. I bet Martha has multiple storage units. Trust me, they're worth the rent and you won't miss a thing.

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